Measurement Uncertainty in the Evaluation of Hand-Arm Vibration Exposure in the Workplace - an Introduction to Iso 5349-2 (original) (raw)

The Development and Use of Tools to Support Workplace Hand-Arm Vibration Exposure Evaluation

Acoustics Australia, 2016

Long-term exposure to hand-arm vibration (HAV) from powered machinery is known to be responsible for damage to the hand and arm. To protect workers, employers are required to apply appropriate measures to control vibration exposures. A key part of the process of effective assessment and control of vibration risks is the evaluation of vibration exposures. The vibration data required for exposure evaluation need to be suitable and sufficient to enable the appropriate actions to be taken. In Great Britain, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has provided tools designed to simplify exposure evaluation as part of employers' risk assessments for vibration. These tools help to demystify the process and help employers move as quickly as possible from the evaluation of exposures to actively controlling risk. This paper discusses the tools provided by HSE designed to support the HAV risk assessment process. It reviews existing tools including the "rule of thumb", which provides an initial indicator to likely risks, and the points system and calculator tool, which simplify the exposure calculation processes. The paper also introduces a table of indicative vibration magnitudes, which has been developed for a revision of HSE guidance to help employers to achieve initial estimates of likely vibration exposures. The objective of all these tools is to enable employers to get efficiently from risk assessment to making decisions about the requirements for vibration control and getting those controls implemented.

Comparison of different measures for hand–arm vibration exposure

Safety Science, 1998

Vibration measurements have been done on hand-held tools in a group of 48 platers by evaluating the individual vibration acceleration and absorption of vibration energy. The measurement of the acceleration has been done frequency-weighted and frequency-unweighted Ž. in accordance with ISO 5349 and NIOSH USA recommendations for hand-arm vibration standards, respectively. The acceleration and the energy absorption have been measured simultaneously in the three orthogonal directions, the latter by using a specially designed adapter. The exposure time has been determined by both subjective assessments and objective measurements. Individual energy-equivalent accelerations and vibration dosages have been calculated from these data. The results show that the type of tool was critical to vibration load intensity when the different measures for determining vibration levels were used. Of the methods used, the evaluation specified by ISO 5349 makes most consideration of low Ž. Ž frequencies of vibration-50 Hz , absorption of vibration energy middle frequencies 50-200. Ž. Hz and NIOSH of high frequencies) 200 Hz. The results show a poor correlation between the three methods used. The same was found between mean subjective assessment and objective measurement of the average exposure time. Further studies of the relation between results presented here and generated disturbance will be conducted, which may clarify any exposureresponse relationship.

STRATEGY FOR EFFECTIVE MEASUREMENT OF HAND TRANSMITTED VIBRATION AT THE WORKPLACE .pdf

FACTA UNIVERSITATIS Series: Working and Living Environmental Protection Vol. 14, No 1, 2017

This paper shows the stages in the evaluation of vibration exposure and they involve the following steps: identification of a series of discrete operations which make up the subject’s normal working pattern, selection of operations to be measured, organization and duration of the measurement, estimation of daily vibration exposure time, measurement equipment, location and attachment of the accelerometers, measurement of vibration magnitude, sources of uncertainty in vibration measurement, calculation of daily vibration exposure. In addition, one example of the calculation of daily vibration exposure of workers employed in the “DalCin” d.o.o. Company has been presented here.

BACKGROUND OF A VIBRATION MEASUREMENT TO HAND-ARM VIBRATION, HEALTH SURVEILLANCE AND HEALTH RISKS

In this paper we will discuss obout undesirable human vibrations and the effect of over-exposure to human vibration. Health surveillance is about putting in place systematic, regular and appropriate procedures for the detection of work-related ill health, and acting on the results. The aims are primarily to safeguard the health of workers but also to check the long-term effectiveness of control measures.